CITY CAN TAKE PRIDE IN GROWTH, MAYOR SAYS

Mayor Jean Robb thinks so, and in her State of the City message before the City Commission last week, she outlined a pattern of beneficial residential and commercial growth.

"To those who would have you believe that this city is not better off now than it was five years ago, then I would say those people must be living in some other city," Robb said.

Highlights of city service expansion included construction of a new police station and increases in police and fire department personnel. Also topping the list were construction of a new $6 million water plant and integration of city and county sewage systems.

Development of the city was propelled by commercial construction. And Robb said that growth was sparked by two office park complexes.

"The past five years have seen the further development of the Hillsboro Industrial Center and the emergence of the Hillsboro Executive Center's development by Crocker & Company, which has resulted in the new Deerfield Beach Hilton and multiple other prime office tenants including Kovach & Associates," Robb said.

Kovach & Associates, developers of Kovach Centre, broke ground in February on a six-story office building. Another six-story building already on the drawing boards will boost the complex's available office space to 375,000 square feet and bring the total cost of the development to $50 million.

"I think we're typical of the investors coming into the area," said John Nix, vice president of Kovach's South Florida division. "We feel there's a very strong growth trend in South Florida and particularly in the city of Deerfield Beach."

Robb said the city, which will be 60 years old this June, can be proud of its growth and potential.

"We can either say, 'We've come a long way, baby' or 'We've only just begun,' " Robb said at the conclusion of her remarks. "But in actuality, let me say once again as I have been saying as mayor for the past five years -- let us depend on no one but ourselves, because together we can do most anything."